Vicious power struggles in the Vatican

Catholic Church Conservation ^ | 21 May 2012 | Cathcon

[Gillibrand]

Power struggles in the Vatican in run up to key appointments

[Gillibrand]

Lack of support for the Pope on both sides.

[cloudmountain]

My opinion is that there are no struggles...decisions have been made already, LONG time ago, in fact.

There is no REAL power, army, land or money in the Vatican. They aren't a country in the usual sense of the word. They are a UNIQUE ENTITY. But what else can we expect: "They" are Jesus' Church on earth from 2000 years ago. AND, they are supposedly all called to serve God, not "mammon."

If STATUS were all that was up for grabs, those STATUS-hungry men wouldn't have been able to hide their STATUS-hungry ambition all the years it takes to get to be a cardinal. Their STATUS-hungry ambition would have knocked them out of the competition eons ago.

REAL humility is impossible to fake, especially with all those Vatican eyes on one.
So "vicious power struggle"? I don't buy it.

Benedict was first described as a "towering intellect" with a "backbone of tempered steel." I SERIOUSLY doubt that he is having any problems with "vicious power struggles" on his watch.

Just my opinion.

[PapaBear3625]

More likely somebody is blowing smoke about “power struggles” because some significant decision is about to come out, and he wants to cast doubts about its legitimacy.

[RitaOK]

Thank you. This hyped text reads in a tone similar to what might serve as a submission for one more eerie Catholic movie. Just too much.

[Little Ray]

It’s not a vicious power struggle until someone gets poisoned!

[old school]

Power struggles in the Vatican? Why not?

http://promom.hubpages.com/hub/Ten-Bad-Popes

[redgolum]

The Vatican is a strange animal. A Religion with a State, and one that leans and pulls against the two parts of itself.

[SunTzuWu]

No money in the Vatican? They have been collecting money from the faithful for more than a thousand years. They are probably the single richest entity on Earth.

[Talisker]

My opinion is that there are no struggles...decisions have been made already, LONG time ago, in fact.

If STATUS were all that was up for grabs, those STATUS-hungry men wouldn't have been able to hide their STATUS-hungry ambition all the years it takes to get to be a cardinal. Their STATUS-hungry ambition would have knocked them out of the competition eons ago. So "vicious power struggle"? I don't buy it.

Benedict was first described as a "towering intellect" with a "backbone of tempered steel." I SERIOUSLY doubt that he is having any problems with "vicious power struggles" on his watch.

Moltke pointed out that "No battle plan survives contact with the enemy."

And when the "battle" is also played out through time, and the clock is ticking down, it becomes a war of nerves. It's not just that people break - denial shreds. And then you have to deal with what you really have when you're not lying to yourself.

All that laughter about people who don't lie, all that strategizing about which lies are the strongest, are suddenly put into stark perspective.

Like that of a crow with its claw stuck on a train track, hearing a whistle.

[Petrosius]

No money in the Vatican? They have been collecting money from the faithful for more than a thousand years. They are probably the single richest entity on Earth.

Perhaps you should get some facts first. From reporter John Allen, Jr.:

Another myth is that the Vatican is ultra-wealthy, [Allen] said. The annual operating budget of the Vatican City State is $270 million, he said, comparing that with the annual operating budget of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., which is $1.2 billion. The Catholic Church in the United States collects $200 million a week, almost enough to fund the Vatican for a year, he said.

As for the buildings, real estate and money in the patrimony of the Holy See, Allen said it amounts to an endowment of $1 billion. The endowment of Notre Dame is $30 billion and that of Harvard University is $100 billion.

The Holy See’s financial means are “not as endless as people imagine,” he said.

[cloudmountain]

More likely somebody is blowing smoke about “power struggles” because some significant decision is about to come out, and he wants to cast doubts about its legitimacy.

Quite possible.

[cloudmountain]

Read what Petrosius said to you; it's worth another view.

to SunTzuWu: Perhaps you should get some facts first. From reporter John Allen, Jr.:

Another myth is that the Vatican is ultra-wealthy, [Allen] said. The annual operating budget of the Vatican City State is $270 million, he said, comparing that with the annual operating budget of the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Ind., which is $1.2 billion. The Catholic Church in the United States collects $200 million a week, almost enough to fund the Vatican for a year, he said.

As for the buildings, real estate and money in the patrimony of the Holy See, Allen said it amounts to an endowment of $1 billion. The endowment of Notre Dame is $30 billion and that of Harvard University is $100 billion.

The Holy See’s financial means are “not as endless as people imagine,” he said.
===============================================

Catholic haters abound in this world and it's my guess you got your information about the Vatican from one of those folks. It's an easy thing to believe, especially if you were brought up as a non-Catholic who didn't care much for the Catholic faith.

[cloudmountain]

Lovely moon phases.

[steve86]

They are probably the single richest entity on Earth.

Yeah, especially since they confiscate the money collected at Mass and deposit it in Vatibank where they pay themselves 10,000% interest on it. Not even a single lira, pound, franc, Euro, or dollar, for that matter, has ever gone out to the indigent or hungry or for any worthwhile cause whatsoever. This is a matter of historical record as I'm sure you'll agree.

[Salvation]

thanks for the facts. Priceless.

[Salvation]

Thanks.

[cloudmountain]

It’s not a vicious power struggle until someone gets poisoned!

Haha, so true.

[Little Ray]

Just a little reference to Borgia and di Medici popes..

[cloudmountain]

Just a little reference to Borgia and di Medici popes..

SO true.
Some people forget about the Medicis. People aren't worse today than they were in the past.
Abe Lincoln said: We can modify human behavior to some extent but we can't change human nature.

The problem is that there are 6 billion people now, not a mere 1 billion like in 1800.